What does it takes to have the mindset of an explorer? ‘If we succeed at every single thing we’ve ever tried, we haven’t tried anything particularly ambitious’. Mountaineer, the first woman to have summited Everest from both sides, author and professional speaker Cathy O'Dowd is this week's guest on WEMcast. WEM Education Lead Will Duffin chats to Cathy about her career and how she's forged a successful career from adventure. They start with the global obsession of Everest and the outsourcing of risk and skill as it becomes a commercial climb swamped with novice climbers and long queues. The reflect on Cathy's first ascents in the 1990s, and how this decade, with it's developments in technology and logistics, proved the turning point in drawing the media's attention to the mountain. Cathy reflects on her epic climbing attempts - the successes, setbacks and difficult decisions made (plus avalanches, broken bones and unchartered descents). The pair also discuss the artificial concept of 'turn-back time' and how mountaineers need to be much more dynamic with their risk assessments and decision making to ensure the safety of their summit attempts. Cathy and Will also reflect on the hugely misleading idea of 'never giving up' and why giving up is, in fact, one of life's greatest skills. Connect with Cathy: Cathy's website http://cathyodowd.com Instagram @cathyodowd Watch on WEM Academy

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